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Using Your Talents - HomeWord - January 19, 2016

Using Your TalentsThis devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. —Matthew 25:16-18

Each person has strengths and weaknesses. My husband loves to play basketball. He is not the tallest, strongest, or biggest guy on the team; he is probably not the best shooter either. What he is good at is seeing the court and having endless energy. He runs as fast as he can and plays hard from start to finish of the game. Recently, he came home from a game and told me he needed to start training. His advantage in basketball is that he physically lasts longer than other players. Since he hadn’t been working out consistently, he found he tired as quickly as those other players. “I’ve lost my edge!” he declared.

Each of us has unique talents in our lives. Some of us are athletic, or good cooks, wise, mediators, having business savvy, compassionate, hospitable, funny, detail-oriented, teachers, caretakers, entertainers, great friends…the list goes on. Not all receive the same number or types of talents, but God expects us to use the abilities and talents He has given us for His glory. We are to make investments with the skills and talents we have been given, so that when the time comes, we can give a report of how we have multiplied what the Lord has given us.

Each of our skills and abilities can grow as we work on them and put them into practice. It is when we get lazy and stop using the abilities that the Lord has given us that we fall behind, run out of steam, and start to wonder how we really can make a difference. It is the people who invest their talents and abilities that will be rewarded in the end. For some, this means taking a step back and assessing how God has created and designed us so we can move forward in our lives, investing our talents and not simply burying them in the sand. For others, and perhaps you as well, it may mean refining, building, and keeping in shape whatever God has given you to build His kingdom.

GOING DEEPER:

1. In today’s Scripture, which servant in the parable do you feel you are most like?

2. What keeps you from making the time to invest what God has given you back into His kingdom?